by Julia Ryan, USA TODAY

by Julia Ryan, USA TODAY

This week we previewed new changes to Facebook, celebrated the return of beloved video game franchises and talked to one of the stars of Oz: The Great and Powerful. Here's what you need to know about the week in Tech.

Facebook introduced yet another update to the News Feed on Thursday. The revamped News Feed has bigger photos, richer videos and a "switcher" tool bar that lets users flip between different sections such as music and games.

Facebook members can also expect to see more ads on their News Feed. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he hopes this update will attract more businesses to advertise on the site.

Expect to see the updated News Feed on the Web, smartphone app and tablet app sometime in the next few weeks.

2) "SimCity" returns

The hugely popular computer game series SimCity is back, but not without several glitches.

SimCity, which first made its debut 25 years ago, lets users create cities with roads, buildings and residents. As "mayor," you are also tasked with handling each city's issues, including taxes, pollution, crime and natural disasters.

Marc Saltzman gave the game a test run earlier this week and said the game "will no doubt satisfy longtime fans of the series and new players alike." Notable upgrades include a multiplayer mode and better graphics, but users need an Internet connection to play, even in single-player mode.

SimCity launched on Tuesday, but has been plagued by connectivity issues that prevented users from creating and managing their cities. Game developer Maxis told users later in the day that they are working to address the issues.

Our take: We're glad SimCity is back, but we hope players can soon start enjoying the game without constant interruption.

3) Video game roundup

SimCity wasn't the only video game to get a reboot this week. Lara Croft has made a "triumphant return" with Tomb Raider, a game that USA TODAY's Brett Molina calls "a fantastic adventure and arguably one of the year's best games thus far."

This installment of Tomb Raider resets the timeline on the franchise. Lara Croft is a 21-year-old tackling her first major archaeology expedition and fighting to escape a mysterious island.

Video gamers also expect the return of another popular franchise later this year. Ubisoft confirmed that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag will launch on Oct. 29 for Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 3 and the upcoming PlayStation 4. The new game will center on "the golden age of piracy" and the adventures of Edward Kenway, the grandfather of Assassin's Creed III hero Connor.

4) Desktop PCs less popular than ever

The traditional desktop PC may be on its way out. According to a new study from Gartner, consumer desktop PC sales have dropped 40% in the past 10 years.

Laptop PC sales have quadrupled in the same time frame, but that might not be enough to save the PC. Experts predict that tablet sales will soon outpace desktop and laptop sales in the near future.

Other highlights from the study:

â?¢ Sales of PC desktops and laptops showed a decline of 10% in the last quarter of 2012 from the same time in 2011.

â?¢ Experts say the tablet market will grow 37% on average each year from 2012 to 2016.

â?¢ Cloud services are booming, making desktop software less important.

5) Talking Your Tech: Zach Braff

What do you do to pass the time in Oz? If you're Zach Braff, you surf Reddit.

Braff said he likes to check Reddit for interesting articles and videos during his breaks on the set of Oz. He participated in the site's popular "AMA" (Ask Me Anything) chat on Thursday, a follow-up to his AMA chat in 2011.

So where can you find Braff? Twitter. The actor says he sometimes runs contests on his Facebook page, but he likes Twitter better because it's more fast-paced and "we're all making jokes that fly by." You can find Braff on Twitter at @zachbraff.